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Akintunde Akinsehinwa: The Young Officer Who Died with Murtala Mohammed (November 11, 1944 – February 13, 1976)

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Akintunde Akinsehinwa was born in 1944 in Ondo, Nigeria. A promising young soldier, he rose through the Nigerian Army ranks with exceptional speed and discipline. Known for his intelligence and reliability, Akinsehinwa was appointed as the aide-de-camp (ADC) to General Murtala Ramat Muhammed—making him the youngest officer ever to serve in that capacity in Nigeria’s history.

Early life

Akintunde Akinsehinwa was born in Ondo City in Ondo State, Nigeria on 11 November 1944. He started his early education in Owo and finished his secondary school education at Edopkolo Secondary School in Benin City, Nigeria where he obtained his Secondary School Leaving Certificate (WASC) in 1963. Upon completion of his studies Akinsehinwa moved to Ibadan in the western province of Nigeria where he worked as a clerk at the High Court.

Military career

At the commencement of the Nigerian Civil War in 1967, Akintunde Akinsehinwa was recruited by the Nigerian Army and trained as an officer cadet at the Nigerian Army School of Infantry in Jaji, Kaduna State. After six months of training, Akinsehinwa was commissioned by the Army as a second lieutenant and sent to the war front to join the famous 3rd Marine Commando Division (3MCDO) under the stewardship of “The Black Scorpion” – Colonel Benjamin Adekunle, where he participated in military offensive efforts on the Calabar front to quell the secession of the Biafran separatist movement.

After the war ended in 1970, Akinsehinwa chose to undergo further military training by taking Signal Officers Courses. Upon completion of his training he was promoted to rank of Lieutenant and posted to Arakan Signals Barracks in Apapa, Lagos, Nigeria as an officer of the Nigerian Army Signal Corps. While at Arakan, he was appointed as a staff officer to then Brigadier General Muhammed who was brigade commander of signals at the time. Brigadier General Muhammed was soon appointed as Minister of Communications by the Yakubu Gowon regime and took Akinsehinwa along with him as a personnel staff officer and technical assistant. On July 29, 1975, General Muhammed was made head of state (succeeding Gowon) by younger soldiers who wanted to ensure Nigeria’s return to democratic rule. He was not directly involved in the coup d’état that brought him to power, but he had played a prominent role in rallying northern officers behind the July 1966 coup that felled Aguiyi-Ironsi.

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Upon becoming Head of State, Murtala appointed Akinsehinwa as his Aide-de-Camp (a role usually reserved for a senior officer such as a Lieutenant Colonel or Colonel). Muhammed citing Akinsehinwa’s hard work, wit and intelligence, appointed Akinsehinwa as Aide-de-Camp effectively making him the youngest (Age – 30) and lowest ranking presidential Aide-de-Camp in Nigerian history. In a short time, Muhammed’s policies won him broad popular support, and his decisiveness elevated him to the status of a national hero.

Death

On 13 February 1976, General Muhammed’s motorcade was ambushed in Lagos by coup plotters and assassins amid an abortive coup d’état. The coup plotters unleashed a hail of bullets on Muhammed’s black Mercedes Benz limousine (not bulletproof) killing him instantly. Muhammed’s driver and orderly were also killed instantly. However, Akinsehinwa survived the initial barrage of bullets and exited the limousine to return fire. Unfortunately, he was overpowered and eventually succumbed to a hail of bullets (an autopsy revealed six bullet wounds in his back). Akintunde Akinsehinwa at 31 years of age thus became the first aide-de-camp to die in the line of duty while serving a Nigerian head of state.

 

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Tinubu, Kaduna gov, Saraki mourn Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi

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Tributes continue to pour in across Nigeria following the passing of the revered Islamic scholar, Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi, with prominent political leaders describing his death as a monumental loss to the Muslim world.

The late scholar died in the early hours of Thursday.

President Bola Tinubu says he received the news of the death of Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi “with profound sadness and a deep sense of loss.”

The President noted that the revered cleric, who died at 101, was “a moral compass who dedicated his life to teaching and preaching.”

A Thursday statement signed by presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, revealed this.

Describing the loss as “monumental not only to his family and teeming followers but also to the nation,” Tinubu recalled “the blessings and moral support he received from the late Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi in the run-off to the 2023 election.”

He further said, “Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi was a teacher, a father and a voice of moderation and reason. As both a preacher and a notable exegete of the Holy Quran, he was an advocate of peace and piety. His death has created a huge void.”

The President condoled with the scholar’s followers nationwide and beyond, urging them to honour his memory by upholding his teachings of “peaceful coexistence, strengthening their relationship with God and being kind to humanity.”

Also, Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, said he received the news “with deep sorrow”, describing the Sheikh as “an extraordinary spiritual guide whose life reflected the highest values of Islam: knowledge, humility, peace, and unity.”

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He noted that the late scholar’s teachings “shaped generations, strengthened the Tijjaniyya community, and enriched Islamic scholarship across Nigeria and beyond.”

Praying for Allah’s mercy on the scholar, the governor asked that the Almighty grant him “Al-Jannatul Firdaus, forgive his shortcomings, and comfort his family, students, and all who drew guidance from his exemplary life.”

He added that “his legacy of devotion and service to humanity will continue to illuminate our path.”

Meanwhile, former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, also expressed deep sadness, describing the deceased as “a colossus of Islamic scholarship and a spiritual father to millions.”

Saraki, taking to X, noted that Sheikh Dahiru lived “a long, blessed life, spanning a century, spent wholly in the service of his Creator and the propagation of the teachings of the Holy Qur’an and the Sunnah of Prophet Mohammed.”

He highlighted the scholar’s impact on Islamic education, stating that “through his Almajiri schools and famous Tafsir sessions, he ensured that the words of the Almighty were not just recited, but imprinted in the hearts of millions of young people across our nation.”

Saraki also offered condolences to his family, the Sultan of Sokoto, the people of Bauchi State, the Tijjaniyyah adherents, and the wider Muslim Ummah.

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Minister, deputy senate president mourn Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi

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The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, and the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, have mourned the passing of renowned Islamic cleric, Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi.

In a statement released on Thursday signed by his spokesman, Alkasim Abdulkadir, the minister expressed deep sadness over the death of the revered scholar, describing him as “a man of character and quiet service.”

Tuggar said he joined the late cleric’s family, students, and members of the Tijaniyya community in Nigeria and across the world in grieving the loss.

“The minister extends his heartfelt condolences to the immediate family, the people of Bauchi State, and all those touched by his passing,” Abdulkadir said.

Tuggar hailed Sheikh Bauchi as a figure whose life was defined by devotion to community, peace, scholarship, and faith.

“The minister described the late Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi as a man of character and quiet service, whose life was marked by devotion to community, peace, scholarship, and faith. During his lifetime, he significantly contributed to shaping Islamic knowledge, as well as the moral and ethical standards of modern Nigeria,” he added.

The minister noted that the cleric made significant contributions to Islamic knowledge, as well as to the moral and ethical development of modern Nigeria.

He prayed that Almighty Allah forgive the scholar’s shortcomings, grant him Aljannatul Firdaus, and give his family, students, and followers the strength to bear the great loss.

Similarly, the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, expressed grief over the passing of the respected Islamic leader.

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In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ismail Mudashir, Barau described the cleric’s death as “a huge vacuum that will be difficult to fill,” praising his decades of dedicated service to Islam, humanity, and the global Muslim community.

He said Sheikh Bauchi influenced millions across Nigeria and beyond through his teachings, scholarship, and exemplary leadership.

The statement read, “I mourn the passing of our renowned Islamic scholar and leader, Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi, a great icon of Islamic scholarship whose light shone on millions of Muslims across Nigeria and beyond.

“Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi’s lifetime of service, his dedication to the Qur’an, tireless preaching, spiritual leadership of the Tijaniyya movement, and his work in establishing Qur’anic schools and humanitarian outreach changed lives and strengthened the faith of generations.

“His scholarship and commitment to advancing Islamic education and moral values were a beacon for millions. He was more than a scholar; he was a father, teacher, and guide to many.”

Barau, who also serves as the First Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, extended his condolences to the cleric’s family, students, the Muslim Ummah, and all who benefited from his teachings.

He prayed to Allah to forgive the scholar’s shortcomings, grant him the highest ranks in Jannatul Firdaus, and comfort his family and followers.

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Dele Olojede: Nigeria’s Pulitzer Prize-Winning Journalist and Advocate for Press Freedom

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Dele Olojede, born in January 1961 in Modakeke, Nigeria, is a distinguished journalist, editor, and publisher whose career has spanned nearly four decades across more than 100 countries. He is widely celebrated as the first African recipient of the Pulitzer Prize, awarded in 2005 for his groundbreaking coverage of the aftermath of the Rwandan genocide, and remains an influential voice in African and global journalism.

Early Life and Family

Olojede was born the twelfth of 28 children in Modakeke, a town in Osun State, Nigeria. He grew up in a large, vibrant family that valued education and civic engagement, laying the foundation for his future pursuits in journalism and activism.

Education and Early Career

Olojede attended the University of Lagos, where he studied journalism and became actively involved in the student union movement. During his university years, he was influenced by literary giants such as Chinua Achebe, Wole Soyinka, and Cyprian Ekwensi, as well as African writers like Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o. He also explored poetry in both Yoruba and English and participated in Shakespearean theatre productions, which helped hone his storytelling skills.

In 1982, Olojede began his professional career at National Concord, a Lagos-based newspaper owned by Moshood Abiola. Concerned about the newspaper’s political influence, he left in 1984. That same year, he became one of the founding staff writers for Newswatch, working under the late Dele Giwa, Nigeria’s renowned investigative journalist. His work at Newswatch included exposing injustices, such as securing the release of musician Fela Kuti from prison through a 1986 investigative report.

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Advanced Studies and International Career

In 1987, Olojede earned a Ford Foundation scholarship to pursue a master’s degree at Columbia University in New York, where he won the Henry N. Taylor Award for outstanding foreign student. He later became a dual citizen of Nigeria and the United States.

Olojede joined Newsday in 1988, initially as a summer intern, and progressed to cover local news, the United Nations, and eventually serve as Africa Correspondent based in Johannesburg after Nelson Mandela’s release. Between 1996 and 1999, he served as Asia Bureau Chief in Beijing before returning to New York as Newsday’s foreign editor.

Pulitzer Prize and Notable Work

In 2004, Olojede returned to Africa to cover the tenth anniversary of the Rwandan genocide. His series, which included the widely acclaimed story “Genocide’s Child,” examined the lives of survivors, particularly children born of war crimes. The series earned him the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting, marking a historic milestone for African journalists.

Return to Nigeria and Civil Journalism

After leaving Newsday, Olojede relocated to Johannesburg, South Africa, with his wife and two daughters. In 2008, he returned to Nigeria to launch 234Next, a pioneering newspaper dedicated to exposing government corruption. Under his leadership, the publication upheld journalistic integrity by paying reporters a living wage and resisting political pressures. Despite its eventual closure in 2011 due to financial challenges, 234Next left a lasting impact on investigative journalism in Nigeria.

Legacy and Current Work

Beyond reporting, Olojede has played a significant role in journalism education and advocacy. He serves on the boards of EARTH University in Costa Rica and The Markup, a New York-based investigative journalism organization. He also founded and hosts “Africa In the World,” an annual festival in Stellenbosch, South Africa, designed to foster dialogue and global engagement on African issues.

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Dele Olojede’s career reflects a lifelong commitment to truth, justice, and the power of the press. From exposing injustices in Nigeria to documenting the aftermath of genocide in Rwanda, his work continues to inspire a generation of journalists and advocates across Africa and the world.

Sources:

Pulitzer Prize Official Website

Newsday Archives

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